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Toronto Raptors (12-3) at Boston Celtics (8-6)
Friday November 16, 2018
7:00 PM EST
Regular Season Game #15 Home Game #6
TV: ESPN, NBCSB, SN1
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 590 The Fan
TD Garden Probable StartersPG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Jason Tatum
C: Al Horford
Celtics ReservesTerry Rozier
Marcus Smart
Aron Baynes
Daniel Theis
Semi Ojeleye
Guerschon Yabusele
Brad Wanamaker
Robert Williams
InjuriesJabari Bird
Marcus Morris (questionable)
Two Way PlayersWalt Lemon, Jr.
P. J. Dozier
CoachBrad Stevens
Probable Starters PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Jonas Valanciunas
Raptors Reserves O. G. Anunoby
Lorenzo Brown
Greg Monroe
Malachi Richardson
Fred VanVleet
Delon Wright
Serge Ibaka
InjuriesC. J. Miles
Norman Powell
Two Way PlayersChris Boucher
Jordan Loyd
Head CoachNick Nurse
Game Notes The Toronto Raptors come into town tonight to take on their long time Atlantic Division rivals, the Boston Celtics. This is the second game on a quick three game homestand for the Celtics and the first game of a rare back to back both being at home in the TD Garden. Boston beat the Chicago Bulls to open the homestand in a convincing 112-82 win that they desperately need after a poor 1-4 west coast swing. Toronto is coming into the game losing their last two games, both at home, to New Orleans and Detroit. Toronto allowed superstars Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin to dominate in both losses.
This is the second meeting between the Raptors and Celtics with Toronto winning the first game in Toronto in the second game of the season. The contest was an extremely close game for the first 45 minutes with Boston trailing by only 2 with 2:53 left in the game before ultimately losing 113-101 when Toronto closed the game on a 12-2 run. Kawhi Leonard had an amazing 2nd half that game finishing with 31 points and 10 rebounds and Serge Ibaka had a strong showing with 21 points on an efficient 10-14 shooting night.
The Celtics had a very balanced attack in that game with all 5 starters scoring in double figures led by Kyrie Irving's 21 points.
Toronto leads the Eastern Conference at 12-3 under new first year coach, Nick Nurse. Nurse has been able to integrate Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green into the starting lineup and Toronto was dominant as the ran out of the gates on a 12-1 game streak. Toronto has the third best offense in the NBA and is led by Kawhi Leonard, who is once again showing why he is considered a top 5 player in the NBA by putting up 24.2 points and 7.8rebounds per game. All-Star PG, Kyle Lowry, is having another stellar season as he leads the league with 10.7assists per game and also scoring 16.1points per game. The Raptors are also getting excellent offensive production in their frontcourt. Veteran Serge Ibaka ia having a renaissance year with career highs in scoring at 17.4 ppg and shooting efficiency at 62.3 TS% all while leading the team in rebounding with 8.4 per game. Third year big man, Pascal Siakim, is having a breakout year putting up 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
I have Valanciunas as starting but don't be surprised that with Boston's small ball starting five that Nick Nurse goes with Siakim and Ibaka as his frontcourt in the starting lineup. Toronto has a very good defense, 11th, in the league, so for the Celtics to win they are going to have to continue to improve on offense as they have all of November. The Celtics will need another big night from Kyrie Irving who has been averaging 25.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in November with shooting percentages at 52.2/49/100 and a TS% of 66.4%. As a team, Boston continues to shoot better in November and will need to continue taking it to the hole to kick out for open threes in their inside out offense but also will need players like Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatum, and Terry Rozier to attack the rim and close out their layups. The Raptors and Celtics both have amongst the best bench units in the league and rely on bench production to win. The BWA will have their hands full containing Toronto's reserves of Valaciunas, Anunoby, VanVleet and Powell. The difference in this game could be which bench unit performs the best.